Envelop-closure.



J. C. WEBB.

BNVBLOP GLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21, 1913. Patented Sept. 8,1914`l 45+' Witnesses (1 5, lnventfar by 4 l Attorneys 7 sof" Josera caLvIN WEBB, or 'rwIN rams, IDAHO.

ENvELor-cnosunn.

Spccicetion ot Letters Patent.

Patented sept; 8,1914.

Application led Aug-@444918. Serial No 785,978;

TQ all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I,

a citizen of the Twin Falls, in

and State of Idaho,

J osnrH CALviN Ween, United States, residing at thecounty of 'lwin Falls have invented a new and useful Envelop-Closure, of which the following is a specification.

The present vention'. appertains generallyto envelope and other containers, and

1() relates more p ghe,

articularly to a novel and improved closure therefor.

It is the object of A providefi'iovel means or other container,

lie present invention to for sealing an envelop without the assistance of paste, or other adhesive, and whereby. the envelop or container may not be opened without detection.

It is also the n tion to provide closure, which yvelp or container,

Athe containerto object of the present invene a simple and inexpensive will not encurnber the en- .and which will permit be readily sealed or closed,

-in a positive, reliable and eicient manner.

As a more specific object,

2,5, ventioii aims tothe present inprovide'an envelop or other contaii'ier embodying a closure Hap adapted tucked through a slot, a pocket being providui to-receive-that portion of the-cloflap .tucked through pocket and closure flap having a unique in` the slot, `and the terengagmg means for locking the closure a' against withdrawal.

ith the .for Vlined and with 8 5 will apparent as egoing general objects outother objects in View, which the nature of the in- "`vention is better understood, the present :invention resides in the combination and arrangement ofparts and in the details of construction hereinafter 40 claimed, it being described and understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention her-ein' disclosed,

can be made, within the v ;ioperof what is claimed, Without departing om the spirit of the invention.

q The invention has been illustrated in its i referred embodiments in the accompanydrawing, wherein igurelisa closure flap enter the slot. spective view of --pocket being un mation thereof.

perspective view of an en-' "velop embod ing the improved closure, the

illustrated as starting to Fgig. 2 is'a fragmental perthe back of the envelop, the folded, to illustrate the for- Fig. 3 is afragmental plan view of the envelop in sealed condition, the

front or face of the envelop being removed,

`ous styles or sizes of .In carrying out the .9, the same .will be andthe closure flap being illustrated ini dotted lines.'l Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views, taken on thel lines 4- 4 and 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fi

g."6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating ai variation or'modification.

Referring speciicallyto the drawing, the

envelop illustrated therein, embodies the front or facing 1*,'and the back 2', the'same being united in any convenient manner, and being provided with a mouth at one end, although it is to be understood that the present invention may be incorporated in varienvelops, as well as paper boxes or receptacles, which are constructed of paper or other iexiblestock. The'envelop illustrated is therefore to be taken as typicalonly, or as illustrating an arbitrary or. conventional container.

present invention, the end of the front or facing l is provided with a closure flap 3 adapted to swing over the mouth of the envelop, as usual. This closure flap 3 is provided Witha tapered tongue 4, free end of which is provided with a longitudinal slit or cut 5 defining a pair of yielding tabs or leaves 6, which are provided with oppositely or laterally projecting hooks 'or catches '7. at the side edges of the tongue. The end of the back l2, illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, is provided with an, inturned flap 8 complementing Athe closure ap 3, and is further provided with a transverse slot 9 adj ining and parallel with the mouth of the envelop.

or tabs 11. The lips or or bent back upon the flap 8 is folded upon the inner side or face of theback 2, the lips 11 being glued orA-` ad- A hesivel'y secured to the inner side of the back 2,whereby`the extension 10 defines av tapered pocket 12, havin its ends open. The slot 9 forms a mouth or the pocket 12, it being noted that the basal portion of the extension 10 is folded over the slot 9, in order that when the tongue of theJ closure flap is inserted or tucked through .the slot directed into the tabs 11 are folded extension 10, and the pocket 12.

The taper of the tongue 4 and extension l0 is practically the same, and the tongue and extension are also preferably of the same width, in order that the tongue may 't snugly within the pocket.

The flap 8 is pro- .vided with a tapered'extensi'on 10, the side edges of which. are provided with the lips mits the envel unauthorized persons,

In practice, after the envelop or container is filled, the free end of the tongue 4f, or the tabs 6, are inserted through the slot 9, and the tongue is then forced home through the internal pocket 12, the tongue being of such a length, that its free end or hooks 7, Will pass completely through the pocket. Thus, as the hooks 7 pass through the inner or smaller end of the pocket, they will be forced together, the tabs 6 being adapted to yield when slid pocket, and when through the inner pocket, they Will expand and lock over the inner end of the pocket, as illustrated in Fig. 3. This will result in the closure flap being locked in position, in order that the envelop may not be opened without detection. In this condition, the envelop may be mailed or transported without the liability of the envelop being opened by malicious or without so mutilating or tearing the envelop, as can be readily detected. Attention is directed to the fact that the catches or hooks ing the catches, are yieldable toward each other in the plane of the tongue, in order that when the tongue is inserted into the pocket, the edges of the pocket converging toward the inner end thereof, will cause the catches or hooks to be pressed together, whereby the catches or hooks will snap over the inner end of the pocket when the tongue is forced home.

The present closure may be employed for various purposes, as above intimated, and in some instances, it may be desirable to construct the closure Hap of several plies or thicknesses in order to render the same sufiiciently stiff, as to resist tearing, in the attempt to extract or withdraw the tongue of the closure flap from the pocket. It will be evident that the present closure device perop or container to be sealed Without the employmentof the usual glued or gummed closure Hap. closure Hap may also be more quickly attached tothe back of the envelop, than where it is necessary to lick or meisten the closure Hap of the prevailing type.

In the variation illustrated in Fig. 6, the envelop .is the same as the one above described, with the exception of the pocket. The pocket 12 in this variation is constructed of a separate blank of paper or the hoops 7 are forced along the edges of the or smaller end of the y free end o 7, for the tabs 6 carrycvided with a tongue, lembodying a member. having side lips, the -lips being bent back 'of the container, the

extension, the

The present other material, the blank embodying a tapered or trapezoidal body 10 having the lips or tabs 11 at its, side edges. The lips ll are bent back and secured to the back 2 of the envelop, whereby the pocket 12 is associated with the slot 9, similar to the pocket l2 above described. The operation of the modification is the same as the operation of the preferred form described herembefore, and need not be reiterated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

l. A container having a closure H ap and an internal pocket carrled by one side, the closure fiap having a tapered tongue, the

slit forming tabs yieldable 1n the plane of the tongue, the tabs having laterally'projecting hooks, the pocket having its in ner end open and having its edges converging Ytoward the inner end, to press the tabs together when the tongue is inserted, whereby the hooks will snap over the inner end of the pocket when the tongue is forced home.

2. A container having a closure flap pro-y and an internal pocket and secured to one wall tongue being' insertible through the pocket, and the tongue having vcatches to slide along the edges of the pocket and to snapover the inner end thereof.

3. An envelop having a slot in one side adjoining the mouth., the other side having a closure iap provided with a tongue insertible through the side having an inturned iiap complementing the closure flap and provided with an side edges of the extension having lips, the lips being bent back and attached to the first mentioned side, the said extension forming an open ended pocket to receive the tongue, and the tongue having catches slidable along the edges of the pocket and adapted to snap over the inner end thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, in the presence of two witnesses.

.JosEPH cALvIN wenn Witnesses:

W. F. MINNICK, HARLEY N. BUTLER.

Golm o! this patent may be obtained for ve cents cach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente;

Washington ID.

the tongue having a longitudinal I have hereto aiiixed my signature` slot, the first mentioned roo 

